As he did last week with House Republicans, Nixon pitched his proposal to expand Medicaid to an additional 260,000 Missourians next year. He told reporters afterwards that it went well, and that much of the discussion focused on the alternate Medicaid package moving through the Missouri House.

“I did talk to them about that most probably being the opportunity here to get reforms this year," Nixon said. "You’re seeing solid realization at how important it is to get this done, and to get it done this year.”

“Right now, I just want to have the Governor’s comments, allow those to sink in, and then over the next five weeks we’ll continue to have discussions, both in caucus and potentially on the floor of the Senate,” Dempsey said.

In addition, Governor Nixon spoke by phone Tuesday to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius about the reforms being sought by House Republicans. A statement released by the Governor’s office called the conversation “positive and productive,” but provided no indication if the Obama Administration would consider the alternate Medicaid proposal. The statement reads in full:

“The Secretary and I had a positive and productive conversation this afternoon about strengthening and reforming Medicaid. It is clear that moving forward and strengthening Medicaid will give us the flexibility we need to give Missourians the health system they deserve: one that protects taxpayers, rewards work, promotes personal responsibility and brings the tax dollars they send to Washington back here to Missouri."

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Every week, St. Louis Public Radio’s Chris McDaniel joins the St. Louis Beacon’s Jo Mannies and Jason Rosenbaum to talk about the week’s politics. This week, however, Chris is out on vacation - so St. Louis Public Radio's Missouri Statehouse reporter joins us.

He met with the GOP caucus today to discuss his Medicaid expansion proposal and their plans to reform the system. Nixon told reporters afterwards that any proposal still needs to expand Medicaid to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $32,500 for a family of four.

Missouri’s budget for the next fiscal year has been passed by the State House.

While Medicaid expansion has dominated most of the debate, spending hikes were approved in other areas. There’s an extra $65 million for K-12 schools, although the increase still falls short of fully funding the state’s public school formula. Republican Mike Lair of Livingston County chairs the Appropriations committee on Education.